The Catawissa Military Band
Ralph E. Wolfgang, Associate Director
(From The Press-Enterprise, May 17, 2006)
60-year member of Catawissa Military Band
Ralph E. Wolfgang 86, of Mill Street, Catawissa, died Monday evening, May 15, 2006 at his home.
Ralph Wolfgang had a full, rich life of 86 years, which included his career as music teacher, his love of the outdoors, his vital sense of humor, and his beloved family.
His career and his adult life were inseparable. His clarinet performance took him to Susquehanna University, to the army bands of the mid-1940’s, to 60 years as a clarinetist and conductor of the Catawissa Military Band and to being principal clarinetist of the Bloomsburg University College-Community Orchestra. His teaching began in Catawissa in 1946, included a master’s degree in Music Education at Ithaca College in the early 1950’s, and ended in his retirement in 1980 from Southern Columbia schools. His bands were legendary as he brought high quality music to not only thousands of students over his career, but “classical” music to the community where, on every program he wrote the words, that music of this caliber contained universal “truth, beauty, and perfection.” But no mention of his career in music would be complete without the most immortal gift of all: the private music lessons he gave throughout his entire career right up to his final weeks. Hi students, now and in the past, serve as his music offspring; many of them teach or perform in orchestras and bands around the world. But perhaps as important as the “music” lessons, he taught “life” lessons at those weekly sessions, and those are also his legacy.
Ralph loved the woods and streams. He hunted, fished and camped throughout much of the United States, Canada, including a much beloved seven-week camping and fishing trip to Alaska just a year-and-a-half ago. He was a great conservationist and believed in the power and beauty of nature, as though the Indians did. We can imagine him looking for deer trails in heaven.
Ralph’s humor is legendary. His jokes, stories, sayings, and silliness will live through his children and theirs. Ralph’s memory will live on with our smiles and the retelling of these other bits of nonsense. He gave us much joy.
Ralph leaves his wife of 62 years, Arlene; his four children: Bonnie, Rick, Randy, and Ron; and 16 grandchildren. Arlene was his constant companion and he always said he couldn’t manage without her. He loved her deeply. The accomplishments of his children, due in large part to his influence, teaching, and managing, were a constant source of pride to him. Bonnie and Randy are professional musicians and Rick and Ron have been music teachers for most of their careers.
He leaves us all richer, Our musical lives have been enriched, our woods and streams are more loved, we all smile remembering a bit of his nonsense, and his family and all the community he touched will remember him. What a happy ending to a life.
Funeral services will be Friday, May 19, 2006, at 2 p.m. at Christ United Evangelical Lutheran Church, 116 Church St., Catawissa, with the Rev. Marthasue Moll, his pastor, officiating. Burial will be with military honors at Hillside Cemetery, Catawissa. Friends will be received Thursday, May 18, 2006, from 6-9 p.m. at the Allen R. Horne Funeral Home, 193 McIntyre Road, Catawissa, and Friday from 1 p.m. until the time of the service at the church.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Christ United Evangelical Church, 116 Church St., Catawissa, PA 17820, or Columbia Montour Hospice, 599 E. Seventh St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815.
Biography
Associate Director Ralph E. Wolfgang is a retired music educator and clarinetist with the band. Ralph grew up in Ashland, Pa., and graduated from Susquehanna University in 1942. During World War II, he served as a bandsman with the Army Air Corps.
Following the war, he became a music teacher and band director at the Catawissa High School, transferring to the consolidated Southern Columbia School District in 1963.
Ralph received a M. S. in music education from Ithaca College in 1954 and was an organizer of the Bloomsburg University Preparatory School of Music.
Since retiring, he has become a private instrumental teacher and has continued as principal clarinet with the Bloomsburg University/Community Orchestra.
A member of the Catawissa Military Band since 1946, Ralph has been Assistant Director, Director (1973-1974), and was the Associate Director and principal clarinet. Many members of the Catawissa Military Band have benefited from Ralph's musical expertise, both as students and as fellow performers.
This page updated 1/3/2010